Handbag



'Maieh 4, .1947.

W. B. CRANE HANDBAG Filed Aug. 6, 1945 v 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 mu 0 K E m a F we I o F a l N a a 1 u r 2 M March 4, 1947. w. B. CRANE HANDBAG Filed Aug. e, 1945 2 Sfieets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. hurolvfi. CRANE,

Ava/ewe:

4 and illustrating the construction of'the hinges.

Patented Mar. 4, 1947 Allied Plastics Company, v

composed of Dwight C. Hirsh a partnership Harry G. Long Los Angeles, Calif-.. and

Application August 6, 1945, Serial No. 609,258

9 Claims. (01.132-79) My invention relates generally to handbags of.

a class incorporating many of the features of a vanity case, and designed especially to be made up of injection molded plastic materials, though not necessarily limited thereto.

A general object of the invention is the provision of a handbag or large vanity case adapted to be formed of rigid plastic materials and incorporating unique and attractive features of design, convenience and utility.

To attain the above object I have created a novel style of handbag having a flat box-like body which may be heldopen uponthe palm of the hand like a powder compact, and with a'hinged cover bearing a mirror on itsinner side which may be tilted back for the bearers self-inspection. For added convenience and utility,-and as a unique feature of especial attractiveness, I have placed the handle on the same end of the body with the hinges and have so constructed the handle and the hinges that the handlemakes both-a brace for the open cover and a retaining band around the bearers finger, so that the handbag may be conveniently held open and with one hand. This location of the handle brings the opening edge of the cover to the lower end of the bag when the bag is closed and'carriedby' the handle. The end straps of the handle have been utilized not only to attach the handle but to form a seal between the cover and the body. Except for the metal fastenings and the mirror, the entire device may be made of .lniection molded plastic material.

The exact manner in which the foregoing and 3 other objects or the invention have been attained will more readily be understood by consideration of the following detailed description and the accompanying drawings, in which: a Figure 1 is a perspective view of my invention a in closed position;

Figure 2 is a perspective view with the handbag in open position as it would be held on the palm oi.' the hand or placed on a table;

Figure 3 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view of a portion of the body of the handbag,

illustrating a-preferred method of clasping the cover;

Figure 4 is a transverse sectional view on an intermediate scale taken on the line 44 of Fig. 1;

Figure 5 is a transverse sectional view onthe same scale as Fig. 4 and at right angles thereto, taken on the line'I-S of Fig. 1; and f Figure 61s a fragmentary sectional view on the same scale showing, the cover in open position.

' Throughout this description and m the appended claims,,terms of comparative location such as upper and-lower, above and below, refer to locations'in the open position as viewed in Fig. 2,

Considering. now the drawings in detail, it! indicates'the body portion of the handbag, preferably or rigid plastic materiaL'and having low side walls with rounded corners. One wall of the body I0 is partially cut away to form a recess indicated at H in-.Fig-s.-2, 5, and 6, and the lateral margins of this recesshave reinforcing flanges l2, which serve also as. hingesupports, on the outer side of the wall. The marginal portion l3 ofthe wall below the recess II and between the flanges I2 is offset outwardly in alignment with the outer edges of the flanges. Hinge pins it, set in the flanges l2, pivotally support a' cover l5, engaging a marginal flange l6 thereof which fits within the recess Hand is offset outwardly to lie in alignment with the flanges l2 and the marginal portion I3 of the wall when thecover is closed. The cover I5 is preferably of rigid plastic material and rests, when closed, upon the side walls of the body l0 so as to join therewith in a smooth exterior alignment.- A 'mirror ll, afllxed I to the inner side of the cover I 5 by tabs l8, ex-

tends substantially to the inner side of all the side walls of the'body l0, and not only affords a large area of reflection but gives support and'reinforcement to the cover. To hold the cover in closed position, a flange l9, which is offset outwardly to lie outside the coacting wall of the body It), is provided with a socket 20 to receive the ball of a ball and spring latch 2| set in the coacting wall.

Preferably this latch 2| is in the wall of the body opposite the hinge pins l4, but it may be placed elsewhere, as in either of the adjacent walls, and also be of some other form of latching device.

A handle 22 extends outwardly from-the end of the body 10 upon which the cover I5 is pivoted.

The handle 22 is preferab7y a strap of rigid plastic material having a central portion 23, tobe grasped by the bearer, and end portions 24 fastened'to the walls of the body In by rivets 2 5. The end portions 24 are coextensive'in width with the combined thickness of the body I 0 and the cover I5, so as to cover completely the walls of the body and the edge of the cover and to conceal and form an outer seal to their juncture, and they extend around the lower corners of the body III to the flange l9, and Join the central portion 23 in similar curves, giving asymmetrical appearance to the whole handbag. I

When in the utilization of the device, the cover 66 II is closed, its junction with the body I0 is eifec- 'tiveiy mountings less likely.

mounting of the hinge pins ll cooperates with the toward the handle 22, engages the end straps central portion may then be held on v therebetween.

f carcass sealed by the end straps 24, the flange l9, and the aligned flange l6 and oflsetwall portion It. 'When the cover I is open, the converging curved corners of the end straps 24 engage the edges of the cover and hold it in outwardly tilted position. The support afforded 'by the endstraps 2! takes the strain from the hinge pins II and makes their fracture or the fracture of their The outwardly offset the opened cover outwardly flange. 16 to project so that it more quickly permits'flnger space between the cover l5 and the the palm of one hand with the bearers fingers between the cover and the handle in a manner giving eflectivesupport and requiring no finger pressure of gripping. Only ;when the handbag is thus placed horizontally is the flange l9 readily available for unfastenihg While I prefer to the latch 2|, or even visible.

have all parts or the handbag of homogeneous and rigid material it will be seen that other materials may be substituted in part.' 'The central portion 23 of the handle 22, as shown in dotted 1 lines in Fig. 2, might for example be made of pliable material suspended between the curved corners of rigid end straps manner in which 24, without afiecting the a flat box-like rigid body open on one side ofgreatest dimension and having one end wall partially cut away to form a rethe upper margin of said body-and having a downwardly nesting the said marginal flange thereof with said lateral marginal handle on the same end of said body as said pivotal supports, said handle having a center portion and end straps rigidly affixing said handle to said body, said end straps extending around the corners of said body on the end opposite said pivotal supports and extending upwardly above the upper margin of said body to conceal'the junccenter portion and adapted by their converging curvature to engage the comers of said cover when said cover is open and to then hold saidcover at an outward inclination and spaced from said center portion sufliciently to permit the insertion of fingers therebetween.

24 and. is held at only a moderate inclination. This moderate inclination L 23 of the handle. The handbag hold said cover at an outward inclination and theend straps hold the cover 15 or afford finger ,space. Parts of the body In 1 might also obviously be 'of pliable material. Various changes in detail cess therein and marginal flanges laterally of said recess on the outer side of said wall, a rigid cover proportioned tb rest upon the walls of extending. niarginal' flangeadapted to fit within said recess, pivotal supports for said cover con- I flanges of said recess, and a rigid ture of said body and said cover, said end straps being curved inwardly to the said center portion and adapted by their converging curvature to engage the corners of said cover when said cover is open and to then hold said cover at an outwardinclination and spaced from said center portion sufficiently to permit the insertion of fingers a flat box-use rigid body a rigid 2. A'handbag having open on one side of greatest dimension,

. cover for said open side proportioned to rest upon the upper margins of the walls of said body, pivotal supports connecting said cover with one end of said body, and a rigid -handle on the same end of said body as said pivotal supports, said handle having a center portion and end straps rigidly afllxing said handle to said body, said end straps extending upwardly above the upper margin of said body to conceal thejuncture of said body and said cover'and being curved inwardly to the said connecting said cover with 3. A handbag having a side, a mirror carried by said thereof, pivotal supports one end of said body, and a rigid handle on the same end of said body as said pivotal supports, said handle having a center portion and end straps rigidly aflixing said handle to said body, said end straps being curved upwardly to the said center portion and adapted by their converging curvatureto engage the comers of said cover when said cover is open and to then cover onthe inner side spaced from said center portion sumciently to permit the insertion of fingers therebetween.

4. A handbag having a flat box-like rigid body open on one side of greatest dimension, a rigid cover for said open side, pivotal supports connecting said cover with one end of said body, and of said body as; said pivotal supports, said handle having a cena rigid handle onthe same end v'ature to engage the comers of said cover at an outward inclination.

v 5. A handbag having a fiatbox-like rigid-body open on one side of greatest dimension and having one end wall partially cut away to form a recess therein and marginal flanges laterally of said recess on the outer side of said wall. a rigid cover proportioned to rest upon the upper margin of the walls of said body and having a downwardly extending marginal flange adapted to flt within said recess, pivotal supports for said cover connecting the said marginal flange thereof with said lateral marginal flanges of said recess, and a rigid handle onthe same end of said body as said pivotal supports, said handle having a center portion and end straps rigidly amxing said handle to said body, said end straps'extending around the comers of said body on the end opposite'said pivotal supports and extending upwardly above the upper margin of said body to conceal the.

4 portion and adapted by their converging curvature to engage the corners of said cover when said cover is open and to then hold said cover spaced from said center portion sufllciently to permit the insertion of fingers therebetween.

6. A handbag having a flat box-like rigid body open on one side of greatest dimension, a rigid cover for said open side,-'a handle having end straps rigidly affixed to said body, said end straps being convergently curved toward the center portion of said handle, and hinges supporting said cover on the end of said body adjacent said hanvdie, said hinges being ofiset from said cover and from said body so as to cause the adjacent comers of said cover to engage the curved portions of said end straps when said cover is open and to then hold said cover at an outward inclination and spaced from said handle sufllciently to permit the insertion otflngers therebetween.

'1. A handbag having a'flat box-like rigid body flat box-like rigid body a, rigid,

' cover for said open side, a handle having end straps rigidly aillxed to .said body, said end straps being convergently curved toward the center portion of said handle, and hinges supporting saidcover on the end of said body adjacent said as to cause the adjacent corners of said-cover to-engage the curved portions of said end straps when said cover is open and tothen hold said cover spaced from said handle sufllciently to per mit the insertion of fingers therebetween.

8. A handbag having a box-like body open on its upper side, a rigid handle carried by said body and having a central portion spaced from one end of said body and end straps engaging the sides of said body adjacent said end, a rigid cover proportioned to fit between said end 'straps, said end straps extending upwardly above the upper margin of said body and concealing the juncture of said cover and said body,-and hinges connecting said cover-to said body at the end thereof adjacent said handle, said hinges being offset from said cover so as-to cause the adjacent corhandle, said hinges being ofl'set from said cover so- 6 acre 01' said cover to engage said handle when said cover is open and to then hold said cover at -.an outward inclination.

9. A handbag having a box-like body open on its upper side, a rigid handle carried by said body and having a central portion spaced from one end oi'said body and end straps engaging the sides of said body adjacent said end, a rigid cover, and hinges connecting said cover to said body at the end thereof adjacent said handle, said hinges being offset from said cover so as to cause the adjacent corners of said cover to engage said handle when said cover isopen and to then-hold said cover at an outward inclination.

WALTON B. CRANE.

REFERENCES CITED Theiollowing references are of record in the file of this patent:

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